The Last Skeptik on ‘How Not To Make a Living’, Musical Preferences & More [Interview] [@TheLastSkeptik]

by BB.TV

After reviewing the powerful album, How Not To Make a Living (click to read our review), by UK Hip Hop emcee/producer combo: Rewd Adams & The Last Skeptik, we at Black Budget Entertainment though it was only right that we got an exclusive text based interview from each of them, read The Last Skeptiks below.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I go by the name The Last Skeptik. I’m a DJ/producer from Finsbury Park. I host a party every month called Livin Proof. I love croissants but have a wheat allergy, so basically my life isn’t worth living.

What made you choose the name ‘The Last Skeptik’?

I’ve always not any taken any shit from people, I guess I don’t trust people immediately. A lot of the time I felt like I was the last one asking a lot of questions about our government’s motives. Still relevant today. That, and I always wanted a name that sounded like I was a secret 5th generation long lost descendent Wu Tang member. I think I achieved that goal.

What, if any, are the main influences for you producing your music?

Movie-music and girls.

At what age did you first decide to make Hip Hop music?

I think I was about 11/ 12 years old in school after hearing records from Makaveli, Dre, DJ Quik and Dogg Pound. I knew from that day I needed to make music that sounded exactly like that.

What was your overall goal on the production for ‘How Not To Make a Living’? i.e was there a targeted style/sound you was aiming for?

The overall idea was to make a cohesive album you could listen to beginning till end and actually feel something when you’re hearing it.

On ‘How Not To Make a Living’ you churn out a whole variety of beats that range from upbeat and positive to deep and though provoking, what is your preferred style of production, if any?

I only have any interest in making music that does something to people – whether its makes them go nuts, makes them sad or happy. It has to be heartfelt and I feel like the new album does exactly that with the cinematic nature of it. Variety and malleability is the difference between a beatmaker and a producer.

As a producer, do you prefer to work cohesively on a project with one particular artist (as on How Not To Make a Living), or do you prefer to make individual beats for specific tracks?

Working with one artist is much better, the project ends up sounding more like a journey. Getting in the studio with an artist and getting to know where they want to take the project is the only way to make both the recording process and the end product not sound like a factory-made ting.

When making the beats for ‘How Not To Make a Living’ were you and Rewd Adams in the studio together, or did you make them and send them over to Rewd?

We were in the studio together for some of it writing together, some of it I sent beats over and he’d write to it then we’d head to the studio to work on the finished product.

Do you think that made a more resolute sound, if so, why?

Definitely. It has to be a collaborative effort.

What is your favourite track from ‘How Not To Make a Living’?

Ah man, that changes on a daily basis. Currently, it’s ‘Colours’. That song came completely naturally. It was a beat I’d made on the MPC1000 and I one tracked it straight in to Logic because the punch and mix on the MPC was perfect. Rewd wrote that one really quickly and the vibe just clicked.

What are the plans for the future?

Check for the second single ‘J.O.B’ out soon, albums out on itunes July 2nd, After this, I’m releasing an all-instrumental album on BBE Records. Watch out for that in early 2013, as well as an E.P with Illa Man and a billion other fun things.